


learn to love this kind of atmosphere

by pepper_407



Category: Switched at Birth (TV)
Genre: Bisexuality, Friendship, M/M, Multi, Phone Calls & Telephones, mentions of emmett & nikki, this entire fic is a phone call, this is set early season two-ish I guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:47:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27148910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pepper_407/pseuds/pepper_407
Summary: Toby and Wilke catch up via a phone call but really it's just Toby needing advice on how to handle his current romantic predicament
Relationships: Emmett Bledsoe/Toby Kennish, Emmett Bledsoe/Toby Kennish/Nikki Papagus, Toby Kennish & James "Wilke" Wilkerson III, Toby Kennish/Nikki Papagus
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	learn to love this kind of atmosphere

**Author's Note:**

> the title is way more poetic than this dumb fic is, it's from foreign object by mountain goats

"Dude"

"Dude"

And then no one says anything for a full minute until Toby finally bites the bullet and nervously asks, "So, how you been?"

"I'm sorry, we haven't talked for over a year and you're pulling the how have you been card?" Replies Wilke and Toby can picture the incredulous yet fond look on his face as he does

"It's not like you were reaching out to me either" 

"Yeah we drifted off, that happens when you're teenagers who don't live near each other

"Yeah, but you can drift back in"

"Toby, what do you need?"

"Fuck" is all he can say because even though Wilke is the one person he can tell it's still a daunting idea and now with the option of telling him or continue to try to figure it out by himself is right in front of him he considers just hanging up and leaving the country

"Okay, so I'm guessing you came to me because this is something you genuinely can't tell anyone else so I'm gonna guess it has something to do with a dude"

Toby nods and even though he knows Wilke can't see him so it takes a few seconds for him to manage to croak out a "Yes"

"Honestly I can't believe you still haven't come out"

"Hey! you haven't either"

"Well"

"Holy shit dude you came out!"

"Well not to my dad, obviously"

"Well yeah"

"But I've been kinda flirting with this guy and I've told a few friends I've made here"

"So boarding school has been working for you"

"I guess so"

"I think I'm in love with Emmett"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I have a girlfriend"

"Uhh"

"And me, her and Emmett are all in a band together and I think that's all the information needed"

"Like Emmett who slept with your girlfriend, Emmett?"

"No, a totally different one"

"Well that is something I would be up for"

"Also the girlfriend, Nikki who is great and I love her"

"Fuck dude"

"Yeah"

"Well I see why you came to me, Wilke, the master of love"

"Oh yeah, that's completely why I came to you"

Toby hears some noise in the background of Wilke's call and suddenly feels kind of guilty for calling about this big thing and being prepared for a long conversation without checking whether he's even free, "Just telling me roommate to take go study at the library, I'm all yours dude, what kind of advice for this situation do you need?"

"I guess I need you to tell me I'm an idiot?"

"I really don't think that will do any good"

"I just need to hear how fucking stupid I'm being from someone else, you know"

"Well it's been a while since I even thought about Emmett and even though he did a shitty thing he can't have been all bad, I mean he and Daphne were best friends for a long time"

"Don't tell me that you're still hung up on Daphne dude"

"I'm not still hung up on Daphne but she was cool and she's like your sister or whatever"

"When I come out I'm so telling her that we used to make out"

"Dude cmon, don't harsh my groove"

"You live in a different state"

"Still"

"So you were saying something about not thinking about Emmett"

"Oh right, yeah, so I haven't really thought about him much but I guess he's not all bad so I'm just saying if you're in a band with him I get it, like spending so much time together in a somewhat intimate setting, it's gay"

"Okay yeah, it's an intimate setting, especially as Nikki is learning ASL so it's mostly just the music and quiet. Like, I think it's fucking with my head"

"And you are rehearing with your girlfriend, so that's a thing that would factor into this. Plus you have all those memories of band practise combined with us fooling around"

"Okay, dude, you are not terrible at this"

"I've done some psychology stuff at school, kind of digging it"

"Oh no way, that's rad"

"Okay, let's move away from school and back to your issue, you're my first patient it seems"

"If you expect me to pay you I'm hanging up now" Toby teases, and fuck he has missed this, the banter, having someone who has known you for almost as long as you have known yourself

"Shut up" Wilke kids back and Toby just knows he is thinking the same thing

"The thing is"

"Yeah?"

"I'm pretty sure it's real, like those are all good points and maybe have affected how much ai have been obsessing about it but"

"But?"

"But, dude, I think about his fucking smile, like, I think about the conversation we had when I asked him to join the band and start over and the way he smiled at me and I sound like a lovestruck idiot" Toby pauses to take a breath but then continues, "I think about how he doesn't let take shit from anyone and gives no excuses for existing, I think about how he plays and just gets into the zone and he is so focused and I find myself not being able to look away, I think about me and him visiting Nikki at the yoghurt place she works and making faces at her, I think about the photos he takes of me and Nikki and of fucking trees, trees, man, I find myself thinking about how pretty trees are just because he took a photo of them"

"Oh fuck dude, you have it bad"

"Wow, thank you, Dr Wilkerson, you have been such a big help"

"And thank _you_ so much for the feedback I'll take it into consideration"

"Sorry, I just-"

"Yeah, yeah, you're a boy in love. So, what about Emmett, is he a boy in love? and what about Nikki? Do you think she'd be chill with this Because I know there's no way you're gonna cheat on you girlfriend with Emmett, that would be a whole new level of crazy, but also kind of hilarious"

"Okay okay, slow down, you're missing a whole bunch of steps, including, you know, Bay. But also Nikki said before her last boyfriend who was super clingy and jealous, she used to be polyamorous, which means you like date multiple people but with communication, which sounds pretty dope"

"That does sound dope, wow Nikki sounds cool as shit"

"Oh god she really is, she's Christian and loves God and also doesn't want to have sex, ever, not just waiting till marriage, she's this thing called asexual and she's got the voice of an angel and rocks on the guitar and she's just the actual best"

"Wow, its sounds like you have a pretty cool band"

"Not as cool as Guitar Face"

"Well, obviously"

"Okay, so I sadly do have to head out soon, I actually have a date of my own"

"With this mystery guy you've been flirting with?" Toby can't help but grin as he says that aloud, this whole conversation shows how far they have both come but god, he is so proud of his boy

"Possibly" Wilke take a second to get his thoughts in order before delivering his final words of wisdom, "Talk to Bay, come out to her, just her, don't feel pressure to tell anyone else, but if you want to do this right you gotta tell her and dude there is no fucking way she will judge you for this, at least, not the bi thing. And then talk to your girlfriend, she will have ideas about what to do and honestly, she sounds like the best person for advice in this situation"

"Holy shit dude, you are wise, you're like an old wizard"

"Shut the fuck up"

"We're not losing touch again okay?" I'm calling you next week, deal?"

"Deal"

_three months later_

"Dude, I'm panicking," Toby says as soon as Wilke answers

"Of course you are, what is it this time" Wilkes replies with an audible smirk

"Regina said that significant others love flowers and now I'm panicking because I have never bought Nikki or Emmett flowers, what if I'm being a bad boyfriend?"

"My friend, I have never once bought any lovers flowers, so don't stress it"

"Oh and you're the best role model"

"Ouch"

"Sorry, but also please never say lover like that again"

"But seriously dude, if you want to get flowers I"m sure Regina would help you pick some out, but like, I don't make sure, neither of your _lovers,_ are like, allergic or something first"

"You are a literal lifesaver so I'm going to let that lover's comment just slide right by"

"I do what I can"

"Fuck off. So dude, what's up with you?"

**Author's Note:**

> comments are really very cool


End file.
